(L.A.) Heather Holsen, 55, Ended Her Life

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Case Number: 2024-02453

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 55-year-old White/Caucasian female that occurred in the Koreatown / Mid-Wilshire area.

The coroner’s office has identified the woman as Heather Holsen.

Manner of Death: Suicide

Cause of Death: Blunt Force Injuries

RIP HEATHER HOLSEN (December 13, 1968 – February 8, 2024)

Formal pronouncement of death was made on Thursday at 11:10 a.m.

The decedent’s name was reported as Heather Hughes by other media outlets. She appears to have lived in Tucson, Arizona, for some time.

LA County Environmental Health Specialist Heather Hughes took her own life by jumping off the top of the 18-story building in which the Environmental Health Division is housed.

The building is the Metroplex Wilshire in the Koreatown district, located at 3530 Wilshire Boulevard, just a few steps west of Normandie Avenue.

Co-workers speaking to RedState on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation say that Hughes had been dealing with depression for some time and that Associate Director Brenda Lopez denied Hughes’ request for a medical leave of absence despite it being recommended by Hughes’ doctor.

From a written statement a co-worker sent to RedState:

Hughes left a suicide note in her car accusing Brenda Lopez, Environmental Health assistant director, for her death. She accused Lopez, uniformly disliked by co-workers, of bullying, harassment, and not taking her needs and complaints about the division seriously.

Concerned for the welfare of others, Hughes chose to jump onto the parking structure instead of the plaza where passers-by could have been hurt. A selfless last act.

According to one account, just before her fatal plunge, a maintenance worker on the roof implored Hughes to step back from the ledge. A moment later, to his absolute horror, she jumped. Colleagues of Hughes also shockingly witnessed her fall event from their office windows.

Ironically, the health department’s Suicide Prevention Department is housed in the same building.

The co-worker also told RedState that meetings have been held between senior management and members of the Board of Supervisors to attempt to keep information about the circumstances of Heather’s death from coming out in the media. Phone calls made by RedState to the Board of Supervisors on this issue were not returned.

Suicide in the office
by inhealthinspector